Masters Games: Forster is faster but still meets his match | Manawatu-Wanganui Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Manawatu-Wanganui

Perennial Masters Games 10km and half-marathon winner Paul Forster finally found someone quicker yesterday.

Two of them, in fact - one male and one female.

And yet Raumati's Forster ran faster than he did when he took the event two years ago.

Local Glen Daly took out the 10km in a rapid 35.59, with Kakikati's Sally Gibbs second in 36.28 - a long way inside the previous record.

Forster, who appeared to have some trouble holding on to the lead group early on, gradually worked his way into it to finish third in 36.34.

"That's faster than I ran two years ago, so I have to take pleasure from the fact that I'm two years older but still running quicker," Forster said.

"Although I've lost my record of outright wins in the last six games - that was a bit hard to take - I knew it had to come some time.

"I don't mind it happened when I'm running quicker. That's fine," said the former world mountain-running champion.

In fact his time is a minute quicker than he did in the Wellington road championships in December, so that says plenty for the performances of Daly and Gibbs.

"That sort of time is putting me very competitive in my age group nationally," he said.

Forster didn't know either of the runners ahead of him, so could not figure on them getting any slower - and they didn't.

"It is hard when you're running against people you don't know - you hope they've had a bit too much bravado at the start.

"But that first guy [Daly] looked very strong and never faltered around the course.

"And Sally Gibbs, I now realise, is a nationally competitive veteran woman."

Forster will now run in this coming weekend's half marathon - but found out to his "horror" that the two ahead of him yesterday are starting there as well.

"Oh well, she [Sally] is going in a few other things, maybe they'll tire her out - I hope," he said wishfully.